'"It may be that I shall lose myself in this mighty forest," I
thought, "but no other danger threatens me."

'I gazed up toward the sun, which had risen higher now than when first
I entered the wood, and as I gazed I saw a black thing among the
branches of a leafy oak.

'Was it a bear, I wondered, and my hand felt for the sword that hung
by my side.

'But it was no bear, for ere long I heard a voice mocking me with
rough and cruel words. "Aha, Sir Wiseacre," said the voice, "I am
breaking twigs off these tall trees, so that at midnight I may light a
fire in which to roast you." Then, before I could answer, the black
thing grinned at me and rustled the branches, until my steed grew
restless and at length galloped away.'

Undine looked at the knight, her blue eyes sparkling as she cried,
'But indeed the wicked creature did not dare to roast you, Sir
Knight!'

'In its terror,' continued Huldbrand, 'my horse dashed itself against
the trees, reared and again rushed madly forward. Onward we flew,
until at length I saw before me a dark abyss. Yet still I found it
impossible to pull up my frightened steed.

'Then all at once a tall white man stood still directly in front of my
maddened horse, which swerved aside as soon as it saw the tall man,
and in that moment I was once more master of my steed. I saw also that
my deliverer was not a tall white man, as I had imagined, but a brook,